Discovering Malta's wetlands, nature reserves
During the activity children also played a life-sized board game that taught them about the various obstacles migrating birds have to overcome. Photo: Geoffrey Saliba.
To mark World Wetlands Day, schoolchildren were last week taken for special education tours of the Għadira and Simar nature reserves in an activity held by Birdlife Malta and Bank of Valletta's education programme Dinja Waħda.
Through the programme, children are learning about the wildlife that can be found in Malta's different habitats, including wetland habitats, said Dinja Waħda manager Nicolette Falzon.
Besides containing a wealth of flora and fauna, the Għadira and Simar wetlands are important for migratory birds that stop to rest there while on migration. Malta is one of the three main migratory routes that wild birds use while travelling between Europe and Africa.
The Għadira and Simar nature reserves were designated as wetlands of international importance in 1988 and 1996 respectively and the United Nations has declared 2010 as the Year of Biodiversity.
The reserves are open to the public on weekends between 10 a.m and 4 p.m. Guided walks through the reserve are held every hour. Entrance is free and no prior booking is required.
Dinja Waħda programme is run in collaboration with the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE).
For more information contact Ms Falzon on 2134 7644/5, e-mail nicolette.falzon@birdlifemalta.org or visit the website www.birdlifemalta.org.
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MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Feb 7th 2010, 22:49
Carmel Pule.
There are quite a few people in Malta that try and portray Malta as being one of the main migratory routes.
Being a hunter I can explain why they do this.
Pule' Carmel
Feb 7th 2010, 12:50
I guess Malta is not the "the route itself" it is only a waypoint ON the route.
Language is only a method to model reality. We may do our best, but no model is accurate enough to express reality so accurately. In all communications including what goes on in the Law Courts, the language is used to take advantages of the inaccuracy and undetailed expressions in writtten laws. There are some ommissions in the EU translations to Maltese and people take advantages of this.
Even in the bible I believe. Peter was not originally named Peter. His name was Simon. But as Christ once said to Simon, " You shall be the rock on which I shall build my church", on translating this to Greek first the word rock ( or stone) was Petra and so slowly through the inaccuracy of translations Simon became Peter.
In the local newspapers here were letters written about , " APPLE'S EYE" when what they meant was Ghajn Tuffieha. I know of students who translated MR BLACK and MR CARPENTER into IS-SUR ISWED and IS-SUR MASTRUDAXXA!!
When we speak or write, most of our understanding is through our own DEDUCTION.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Feb 7th 2010, 11:30
"Malta is one of the three main migratory routes that wild birds use while travelling between Europe and Africa."
Malta is ON one of the three main migratory routes.
The word ON make quite a difference especially when trying to influence young minds.
Could this misconception not be supported by this newspaper? We are after all trying to educate our children about the truth.